[ankan333]

I will be gone from home for the next three weeks, and I'm a bit concerned about the timing.. I have my first ever grandis egg incubating, and by the look of it when I candle it, the little fellow will want come out soon! I have no experience of hatchlings, and if it happens when I'm not there to take care of it I have to be able to give instructions to my gecko "baby-sitter". What should I think about before leaving? I will prepare a little tank in a pet box, but what should I get it to eat? I guess it will need food every day?

[hexentanz]

Should it hatch while you are away, just tell the person it is like a mini adult and should be treated as such with a mini tank (UVB Lamps, misting, etc). On the second or third day of life it should be offered food of the appropriate size.

[daggekko]

I would also get some of the gecko diets(not sure which types you can get) like Repashy or Clarks and have them feed that daily (like Maureen said after 2 or 3 days of being hatched). My baby Phelsuma don't always eat it the first week or so but they do start eating that stuff quickly! I mix the Repashy 1 part powder to 2.5 parts water. This keeps it from drying out too fast and gives the gecko the chance to eat it for more of the day!

If your babysitter isn't familiar with reptiles I would make sure to explain to be gentle as Phelsuma rip/break easy. I find it pretty easy to move my babies from the incubation box to the grow up container. Not so easy after they are a few weeks old though! I think the grandis hatch out big enough to take small crickets you can buy at the petstore(like 2 week old or 1/4") but someone please correct me if you think that size cricket is too large for hatchlings.

[ankan333]

Thank you Maureen and Adam!

I have Repashy at home, so if they can eat that from the start that's just perfect Then I won't bother my babysitters with insects these first weeks (if it hatches, that is) since at least one of them find them digusting..

I think I have its baby tank well set up, it's a small pet box that I will put some thin bamboo sticks and leaves in, and then I put that in the big tank I'm currently not using, so they will have automatic misting + UV light.

[daggekko]

No problem I would try to feed crickets within the first week to make sure they have eaten something. If you have at least one of the babysitter(s) that is competent enough to decide if the crickets are too big or not. My baby containers are 7"H x 7"D x 12"L. I don't know what size container you will have set up but you only need about 4-6 crickets max for a baby gecko at a time. Like I said with the Repashy, I'm not sure how soon they start eating it but I know it doesn't take long for them to start liking it, and this is why if you can get them crickets I would!

[JIGSAW818]

Originally Posted by ankan333

I will be gone from home for the next three weeks, and I'm a bit concerned about the timing.. I have my first ever grandis egg incubating, and by the look of it when I candle it, the little fellow will want come out soon! I have no experience of hatchlings, and if it happens when I'm not there to take care of it I have to be able to give instructions to my gecko "baby-sitter". What should I think about before leaving? I will prepare a little tank in a pet box, but what should I get it to eat? I guess it will need food every day?

When you last candled it what color was it inside. Pink or Yellow?

Your answer is greatly appreciated.

[ankan333]

It hatched!!!!!
Welcome to the world Ozzie!!

My babysitter called me two days ago and broke the news. I prepared for it and everything, but still it felt unreal! My first gecko baby!

I have attached the picture my babysitter sent me, but from that I can't tell how much of its dad's red stripes he got..


To jigsaw:
The egg was pink at the beginning, then a black shape started to form. One time when I candled it, I think I could actually see him/her whip with the tail!

[lauraleellbp]

Congrats! Hopefully everything goes well till you can get home and see it!

[ankan333]

Thanks! Yeah, I can't wait to get home now..